Travel World International

It’s important to ask your airline or travel agent when you purchase your ticket as the free baggage allowance can vary by airline, routing and class of fare. Free allowance baggage is generally defined as those items necessary for the passenger's journey, such as clothing and personal articles within certain limitations.

IATA has guidelines for baggage but the number and weight of baggage allowed free of charge can vary by airline, routing and fare. The "piece concept" defines the number of bags entitled by the passenger's ticket. Generally, two pieces of checked baggage are allowed per passenger, each piece weighing a maximum of 32 kilos (70 lb) and measuring no more than 158 cm (62 in) adding the dimensions: height + width + length. But check with the carrier because some airlines/airports have limits per bag which may be lower and for journeys with a single carrier, there may also be baggage limitation. The "piece concept" is generally in use on flights within, to and from Canada and the United States.

The "weight concept" defines the amount of baggage entitled by the passenger's ticket in kilos. For example, an economy class passenger may be entitled to 20 kilos of baggage and a business class passenger to 30 kilos. For safety considerations and in order to avoid inconvenience at the airport, make sure that your suitcase doesn't weigh more than a maximum of 32 kilos (70lbs). If it does you will be asked to repack and transfer some of your belongings into another bag. Please note that the maximum weight limit relates only to single items and does not affect the baggage allowance or excess baggage charges, which are set by individual airlines. However, some airlines/airports may have limits per bag which are lower, and for journeys with a single carrier, there may also be baggage limitation. Therefore, check with your carrier in advance.

Carry-on baggage must be stowed in the aircraft cabin which limits baggage to a size, weight and shape to fit under a passenger seat or in a storage compartment. Cabin baggage should have maximum length of 22 in (56 cm), width of 18 in (45 cm) and depth of 10 in (25 cm). These dimensions include wheels, handles, side pockets, etc. Baggage allowed onboard may vary from one to two pieces per passenger. Check with your airline as to what is allowed.

Actually, globally 98.2% of all baggage travels with the passenger as planned. And the vast majority of bags that are mishandled are returned to the passenger within 48 hours. This does not detract from the fact that arriving without your baggage is a significant inconvenience. Many baggage mishandlings occur at the transfer point due to punctuality issues, and these are often caused by air traffic control congestion. Sometimes it is simply not possible to move the bags between flights in the time available. IATA and its members continue to work hard to improve baggage performance further.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation, the UN’s aviation standard-setting body, has defined guidelines that more and more governments are adopting. The current restrictions for liquids, aerosols and gels from ICAO and in effect in most many countries are that they must be in containers 100ml or equivalent, placed in a transparent resealable plastic bag with max capacity 1-litre. At screening, plastic bags should be presented apart from other carry on items.

Yes, a few. Medications, baby milk/foods, special dietary requirements are exempt. Consult your local airport’s website for more information.

Passengers should ask and make sure the liquid products they are buying will not be confiscated later on in their trip. Different countries have different requirements and determine if duty free purchased in another country is allowed or not. In certain countries, it will be placed in a sealed tamper-evident bag, with the proof of purchase. This is meant to allow the passenger’s purchases to go through other airports without being confiscated, although this needs an agreement between the countries concerned.

RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. RFID is a technology incorporated into a silicon chip embedded in a tag. The tag can be updated with new information, which is the main difference from other technologies used such as bar code. This means that new information can be updated on an item’s tag as it travels around different locations. The technology also allows for tags to be read from a distance, through most substances, and for multiple tags to be read at one time, making it ideal for environments where items are stored in piles.

It is part of the solution. RFID can fix about 20% of baggage mishandling issues. The IATA business case showed that this was economically feasible, and the baggage improvement programme is now looking to address the use of RFID and also tackle the other 80% of mishandling issues. It’s important to understand that over 98% of baggage arrives at its destination with the passenger as planned!

First, you report it to the baggage claims department on arrival. There you will provide information to the airline to help them track down your baggage. Most airlines use a global system called WorldTracer which a joint product provided by IATA and SITA, a technology group that is owned by airlines. All missing baggage information is filed on this system. Once a match is found, the baggage is returned to its owner. The vast majority of mishandled luggage is returned to the passenger within 48 hours.

Make sure your baggage is not overweight. Check before flying as baggage weight allowances vary by airline but as a general rule if you can't lift your bag, it is likely airline staff won't be able to either.

Please use something to identify your bag; a lot of luggage looks the same, if not identical. Ideally use an individualised strap rather than tying a cloth to the handle as this obscures the baggage label.

Please pack your bag uniformly. Heavy and dense objects can cause the bag to move as well as delays at security.

Please remove any labels and tags from previous flights.

Please place a luggage label on one handle of your bag.

Does your bag have wheels? Please lock them, if possible, to prevent movement after check-in.

Does your travel insurance cover the cost of replacing the contents of your bag and the bag itself?

Have you listed the contents of your bag in case you need to make an insurance claim?

Is your bag over-packed? Please use another bag if this one was hard to close.

If you have straps on your bag please remove them and place them in your bag.

Please do not lock your bag as it may need to be searched.